General Orders No. 05-02 Febuary, 2005

The February 10th, 2005, meeting is to be held at WISCONSIN CLUB, Milwaukee

Speaker: Father Robert J. Miller, Holy Angels Church, Chicago

Robert J. Miller: “Both Prayed to the Same God:” Religion, Faith and the Civil War It was an extremely devout country that went to war and 15% of Northerners were active members of some reli- in 1861, and yet perhaps the most ignored topic in Civil War gious group at the outbreak of the war. In the Civil War study has been the role that religion and faith played in it. years, membership in churches grew from 1 in 15 to 1 in 7. From the very beginning of the United States, we have “been Steven Woodworth says that “had all the Protestant churches awash in a sea of faith”, as historian Jon Butler has stated. in America been filled on any given Sunday morning in the Notre Dame historian George Marsden (author of Jonathon 1860’s, more than 2/3 of the nation’s population would have Edwards: A Life) said that “American history recounted with- been in attendance.” out its religious history is like Moby Dick without the whale.” During the War, the single greatest institution in Religion played an enormous motivational role in the found- maintaining morale among soldiers was their faith in God. ing of our entire American social system, as well as in cul- Faith had an enormous role in motivation and attitudes of a ture and everyday life. huge number of soldiers; up to half of all Civil War soldiers On the eve of the Civil War, this had not changed by one estimate. James McPherson (in Cause and Comrades) very much. Before, during and after the traumatic War years, says “The conclusion drawn from a study of GI’s in World religion and faith had a deep, pervasive influence on politi- War II holds true for Civil War soldiers as well: religious cians, soldiers and civilians alike. Indeed, mid-19th century faith did not impel the individual towards combat but did America was rampant with religious belief and attitudes. It serve the important function of increasing his resources for was an age of tremendous evangelical fervor, and organized enduring the conflict-ridden situation of combat stress.” religion was an essential component of the time. It was reli- Father Miller is a Catholic priest who has traveled gious congregations that brought more people together on a and preached extensively across the country, ministering for regular basis than any other cultural or voluntary institution 29 years. Born in Michigan and educated in Wisconsin and in the country. New York seminaries, he is presently ministering at Holy By 1860, the second of the two “Great Awakenings” Angels Church in inner-city Chicago. He has Masters degrees had just rolled over the country (1800-1830s), and left thou- in Religious Education and Divinity, and is the author of 5 sands of new evangelicals in its wake. 25% of Southerners books on spirituality and faith. For over a decade, he has taught Church History at the University of St. Mary of the Lake’s lay ministry and dea- Schedule of Events con formation program. A longtime student of the Civil War · Staff Meeting (open to all members) 5:30 PM and its religious ramifications, Father Miller will be the 2005- · Registration and Social Hour 6:15 PM 06 President of the Chicago Civil War Round Table. He is · Dinner 6:45 PM presently researching and writing a book on religion, faith, · Program Begins 7:30 PM and the Civil War. Times subject to local conditions PAGE 2 “It helped get him hooked on the Civil War,” Frank Vandiver, Author of his son said. “He was a great storyteller, and a great Mighty Stonewall speaker and a great writer and a greater teacher.” Military historian Frank E. Vandiver, a former Vandiver wrote and edited more than 20 books finalist for the National Book Award and university and 100 scholarly articles. Among his books were president, died 31 December 2004 at his home. He was Mighty Stonewall, Their Tattered Flags: The Epic of the 79. Vandiver had been ill with heart and lung problems. Confederacy and Black Jack: The Life and Times of The elder Vandiver, who served as president at John J. Pershing, which was a finalist for the Texas A&M University from 1981-88, also served as National Book Award. president of what is now the University of North Texas Vandiver was a popular speaker at historical from 1979-81 and was acting president of Rice Univer- meetings and sparked a passion among Civil War en- sity from 1968-70. thusiasts, said Dan Laney, president of the Austin Civil Texas A&M spokeswoman Cynthia J. Lawson War Roundtable. [He spoke at the Milwaukee Round said that Vandiver was “a visionary under whose lead- Table at least twice — Ed.] ership the university realized significant academic "A lot of it came from his students who studied achievements, furthering its status as a world-class in- under him. They still had a lot of affection for him," stitution.” Laney said. ` Vandiver, who had a special interest in the Vandiver, an Austin native, held degrees in his- Civil War, taught history at several universities, among tory from the University of Texas, them Washington University in St. Louis, the U.S. Mili- and Oxford. His first wife, Susie, died in 1979. Survi- tary Academy at West Point, and Oxford. He was a pro- vors include his wife, Renee; three children, his fessor and administrator at Rice for 24 years. son and two daughters, Nita Jackson and Nancy Wahl, Frank Vandiver said his father's love of history all of ; and six grandchildren. began when he was visiting relatives in New York at a young age and was shown a Civil War uniform with a — from http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/ bullet hole in the chest. metropolitan/2982793

Board of Directors, Civil War Round Table of Milwaukee, Inc., as of January 2005

Name Office/Title Contact Term Expires Dale Brasser President (920) 682-5478 2006

Gene Jamrozy 1st Vice President/Quartermaster (414) 327-2811 2005

Ellen Kelling-Vukovic 2nd Vice President (262) 334-6265 2006

Paul Eilbes Treasurer/Membership Committee Chair (262) 376-0568; 2007 [email protected] (262) 634-1203; C. Judley Wyant Secretary 2006 [email protected] John D. Beatty Editor/Publisher, General Orders [email protected] 2007

Dr. Robert Karczewski Member (902) 563-4824 2007

Robert Braun Past President (920) 568-4530 2005

Robert Erffmeyer Past President (414) 354-7800 2005

Lance Herdegen Past President (262) 524-7198 2006

Dr. Peter Jacobsohn Past President (262) 242-0931 2007

Bob Parrish Past President (262) 786-2945 2007

Bill Upham Past President (414) 962-6440 2005 PAGE 3 Jack

The masthead of the General Orders is without one long-time friend “the youngest 95-year old in his- Jack Thompson’s name for the first time in over a quar- tory.” He refused to give up on anything or anyone. ter century. He was editor of this newsletter for twelve Jack edited an alumni paper for the Journal and years, setting a standard that those who followed him the Sentinel right up until his hospitalization. He took could only hope to match. He was President of the Mil- courses at university, organized and developed courses waukee Round Table in that long-ago era when the cur- for the Guild for Learning in Retirement, and was editor rent Editor/Publisher joined (1985). He proofed every of its newsletter. single issue of the newsletter from September 1998 Jack leaves behind his wife Lois, a daughter, through November 2004, and this correspondent could two grandchildren, a great-grandchild, a host of friends set his calendar by when the proof came in the mail. and admirers . . . and an empty spot on our masthead. This organization, the GO, and the entire world So long, Jack. See you on the other side. will seem a little smaller, a little colder, without him. —JDB Outside of the newsletter and this Round Table, Jack was a forerunner at the old Milwaukee Journal, serving as the first ombudsman in the paper’s his- tory, and indeed one of the first in a major paper in the country. He started with the Journal in 1936, and retired in 1974. Forty years at the same place in an industry where the average for an editor is four is re- markable. In 1944 and 1945 Jack served in the Navy on Mt. McKinley, an amphibious command ship off Leyte and Okinawa. His job was to direct fighter in- terceptors towards attacking Japanese planes, espe- cially the kamikazies. Back then this was pioneering stuff, hard and tense work. It made many men bitter, nervous wrecks. But Jack was seldom seen without a smile on his face. His pleasant, well-groomed demeanor was his trademark. His energy made him, according to

2005 Schedule · Mar 10: Bruce Allardice: Topic to be announced. Leadership & the Subordinate General. · Apr 7: Kent Gramm: A More Perfect Tribute: Lin- Meetings are at the Wisconsin Club unless oth- coln and the Gettysburg Address. erwise noted. Speakers and topics are subject to · May 12: Dan Nettesheim: Winfield Scott Hancock: change without notice.

Civil War Round Table Dinner Reservation for: February 10th, 2005 Mail your reservations by February 4th to: Paul Eilbes, 1809 Washington Ave. Cedarburg, WI 53012-9730 ALSO, call in reservations to (262) 376-0568

Enclosed is $______(meal price $20 per person) for ______reservations for the next meeting of the Civil War Round Table of Milwaukee. (Please make checks payable to the Civil War Round Table of Milwaukee, Inc.)

Name of Member:______In the Event of Inclement Weather... A Gentle Reminder Since we live in a part of the Union that has The Wisconsin Club and the Board of the Civil such wonderful weather, the President will decide if War Round Table of Milwaukee would like to remind there is to be any change in a meeting due to weather. our members that jackets are required for the Club’s Listen to WTMJ or WISN radio for news of meeting dining room. Please contact club management if you cancellations if the weather turns on us. have any questions.

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